Really Boring Stuff Only III: Resurrection

[psbfan9]

They do when you suddenly realize your GFs birth control wasn't quite working as well as you thought.

Are you saying you're expecting a litter of furries?!?! Um, congratulations (?)

 

[psbfan9]

I am easily amused...

 

[agarwalro]

Just buy a new system. You know you want to.

No! (Read: My mind and body say yes, but, bank account says, "You didn't win the bazillion dollar lottery now, did ya... Wanker?". (I'm on a Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmare kick.) I bought the current kit on the promise (to self) that there will be no upgrades until I have a dedicated room. Then, I'll upgrade to the Philharmonic 3 towers .

How much is a tweeter? Would getting two make sense? Then you'd have two from an identical manufacture date and production run. Just spendin' your money.

If I remember correctly, the Sierra 2 uses a modified RAAL 70-10 design. Madisound has the 70-10 listed at $322 each. FML! I believe the custom version Dave sources, costs less. Buy how much? I donno. If the tweeter I'm sending in needs to be replaced, I'll definitely opt for a replacement pair (unless Dave talks me out of it). I'm hoping that returning the current tweeters will offset the cost.

What is he inspecting it for? Can't you send him some close-ups of it?
I don't like down time! Ask him if he can send you a new tweeter, or think about if there is a time you are going to be out of town for a few days.
Is he considering fixing yours instead of a replacement?
You'll be buying a tweeter either way, won't you?
Not really that big of a deal, but since it still sounds okay, why not keep it until the new one arrives?

In the correspondence with Dave I expressed curiosity regarding this being a manufacturing defect (yes, a shameless attempt at getting out of paying, since it did not happen as an immediate consequence of my dropping the speaker and was serendipitous discovered months later). He suspects the film was most likely damaged in the fall, but, he'd inspect it to be sure it's not a manufacturing defect. I did send Dave pictures. Here's the best one I got.

Ribbon damage,

Enclosure damage,

Enclosure damage, up close,

I found Madisound sells replacement films for the RAAL 70-10 for $40. Assuming the film needs replaced, I'm wondering if Dave can have it done for me and I wont have to eat the cost of replacing a perfectly good tweeter to get a matched pair.

If Dave says, it can be repaired and be made as good as new, I'll live with it. The enclosure is (lightly) scratched and Ascend does not have Gloss Cherry enclosures. Assuming repair is an option, $50-100 vs $500 for two new ones... I'm going to choose repair.

I love these speakers... sound and looks. The OCD part of me will not rest knowing the speaker will never be NIB ever again. As someone who buys once and keeps for a very long time, it saddens me. I'll eventually move them to surround duty. Doesn't RichB have Sierra 2 surrounds?

 

[haraldo]

Some crazy flying here ==:-o

 

[haraldo]

Going to Seattle & Redmond, 3 days and counting...
Staying in Bellevue ... really looking forward to this

 

[Steve81]

I'm bored so I'm bugging Dennis about a design concept that I think would be cool. Basically just a Phil 3 Lite with a smaller bass section such that it'd look more or less like this.

 

[psbfan9]

I'm bored so I'm bugging Dennis about a design concept that I think would be cool. Basically just a Phil 3 Lite with a smaller bass section such that it'd look more or less like this.

Or, you could try to convince Phil and Dennis to work on a project together. That would be a great speaker!

Phil makes some great looking, and sounding, speakers.

http://bambergaudio.com/index.php

 

[KEW]

In the correspondence with Dave I expressed curiosity regarding this being a manufacturing defect (yes, a shameless attempt at getting out of paying, since it did not happen as an immediate consequence of my dropping the speaker and was serendipitous discovered months later). He suspects the film was most likely damaged in the fall, but, he'd inspect it to be sure it's not a manufacturing defect. I did send Dave pictures. Here's the best one I got.

I love these speakers... sound and looks. The OCD part of me will not rest knowing the speaker will never be NIB ever again. As someone who buys once and keeps for a very long time, it saddens me. I'll eventually move them to surround duty. Doesn't RichB have Sierra 2 surrounds?

Thanks for the explanation and great pictures. I don't know the design of a ribbon tweeter, but didn't imagine a speaker fall would rupture the film unless something actually punctured it (and maybe something did from inside the tweeter. It is possible that a very small tear happened when it fell and the vibrations/stresses when playing propagated the tear until it got big enough to get your attention.
Interesting that the sound is not conspicuously different. I would have guessed you'd be getting some kazoo-like sounds from the loose membrane, but I don't know lord helmet about how ribbon tweeters work, lol!

 

[KEW]

I'm bored so I'm bugging Dennis about a design concept that I think would be cool. Basically just a Phil 3 Lite with a smaller bass section such that it'd look more or less like this.

So is the idea to keep essentially the same top module and use a bit more compact bass module (by reducing depth)?
I do believe the depth of the cabinets has been a barrier to some prospective buyers. The TL design is outstanding for bass, but for someone committed to subs, it is not needed.

BTW, I have often wondered about your custom built speakers by Dennis Murphy. Do you have a post about them somewhere?
Thanks!

 

[Steve81]

So is the idea to keep essentially the same top module and use a bit more compact bass module (by reducing depth)?
I do believe the depth of the cabinets has been a barrier to some prospective buyers. The TL design is outstanding for bass, but for someone committed to subs, it is not needed.

Correct, and that's my assessment as well. Of course, even with a "compact" bass cabinet, by my reckoning you've got about 2 cubic feet worth of volume to work with. With the right driver and proper tuning, it could still deliver a solid low end.

BTW, I have often wondered about your custom built speakers by Dennis Murphy. Do you have a post about them somewhere?
Thanks!

I talk about them in my theater thread about here. Short version is it's a large 3 way bookshelf with the UniQ driver from the Q100 plus a Seas ER18 woofer & Dennis' XO magic.

 

[agarwalro]

Thanks for the explanation and great pictures. I don't know the design of a ribbon tweeter, but didn't imagine a speaker fall would rupture the film unless something actually punctured it (and maybe something did from inside the tweeter. It is possible that a very small tear happened when it fell and the vibrations/stresses when playing propagated the tear until it got big enough to get your attention.
Interesting that the sound is not conspicuously different. I would have guessed you'd be getting some kazoo-like sounds from the loose membrane, but I don't know lord helmet about how ribbon tweeters work, lol!

No problem Kurt. I just shipped it out today. I'll keep everyone posted once Dave gets back to me.

We return to your regularly scheduled boredom.

 

[fuzz092888]

Correct, and that's my assessment as well. Of course, even with a "compact" bass cabinet, by my reckoning you've got about 2 cubic feet worth of volume to work with. With the right driver and proper tuning, it could still deliver a solid low end.

Dennis did try with the original Phil slim. It was a more traditional design, but it was basically a Phil 3 with a ported bass section. It had the 70-10 and an open back mid. The bass section delivered excellent bass and didn't give up a whole lot to the Phil 3 above 35ish hz IIRC (EDIT: come to think of it, could have been 40ish HZ). However, nobody bought it because they felt the price/performance was too similar to the Phil 3 and people were just buying the 3 instead of the slim. I can't imagine building something like that would reduce the cost much if any over the Phil and I'm not sure how keen Dennis would be to try again, after the failed Phil slim attempt.

Could be interesting though if he bites

 

[fuzz092888]

So I received the Hauppauge and the HDHomerun the other day. I got the HDHomerun hooked up and didn't even take the Hauppauge out of the box. The HDHR hooks up to the router and then once you get everything else set up you can watch from anywhere in the house with the right software. I'm just learning how to use it, but right now I've got the Kodi-addon installed and I'm watching the Min vs Ana hockey game on the projector downstairs using the it. The box is upstairs connected to the router. I may send back my cable box and only use the HDHR at this point. The thing is awesome.

I don't know if that made any sense, but bottom line. I don't know why anyone would get a cable box again now that I've discovered this thing. HTPC + HDHR = lower monthly costs and the ability to pause live TV without a DVR. Plus they're making a DVR app so that'll be no monthly cost soon enough as well.

 

[Steve81]

However, nobody bought it because they felt the price/performance were too similar to the Phil 3 and people were just buying the 3 instead of the slim. I can't imagine building something like that would reduce the cost much if any over the Phil

That's the rub though: I don't expect someone who can afford the Phil 3, both in terms of financial cost as well as floor real estate to make any other choice within the Philharmonic lineup. A lite version of the Phil 3 would cater to someone who wants the closest thing to a Phil 3 in a more compact package. In terms of cost, no it won't be a 2K speaker, but by Dennis' reckoning it could roughly split the difference between the Phil 3 and the current Phil Slim. Of course, from a product line standpoint, it would make sense for it to be on the higher end of that scale both to avoid cannibalizing sales of the Phil 3 and to reinforce the notion that a Phil 3 Lite isn't some massive step down.

Dennis did try with the original Phil slim. It was a more traditional design

To some extent, I suspect that was why it failed. As you note, in terms of actual performance, the original Phil Slim got you a good chunk of the way to the Phil 3's level for less cost and in a smaller cabinet. That surely sounds like a winner. The problem as I see it is one of marketing. Philharmonic Audio not being a multi-national conglomerate doesn't exactly have the resources to pay for ads, positive reviews in all the audio rags, and floor space at your local retailer to hear the product. Sans such resources, it's a lot harder to successfully launch a new product. This is where I think a Phil 3 Lite could succeed, simply because it isn't really a new product. Visually and technically, the "Lite" would clearly be closely related to the "Original Edition", allowing it to piggy back on its older brother's popularity in a way that the "traditional" Slim never could.

 

[fuzz092888]

I was thinking that it sounded like this would be in the $2500-3000 range. Perhaps it can succeed where the Slim fell short and that the similar cabinet would be the catalyst to push it over the edge.

That's the rub though: I don't expect someone who can afford the Phil 3, both in terms of financial cost as well as floor real estate to make any other choice within the Philharmonic lineup. A lite version of the Phil 3 would cater to someone who wants the closest thing to a Phil 3 in a more compact package. In terms of cost, no it won't be a 2K speaker, but by Dennis' reckoning it could roughly split the difference between the Phil 3 and the current Phil Slim. Of course, from a product line standpoint, it would make sense for it to be on the higher end of that scale both to avoid cannibalizing sales of the Phil 3 and to reinforce the notion that a Phil 3 Lite isn't some massive step down.



To some extent, I suspect that was why it failed. As you note, in terms of actual performance, the original Phil Slim got you a good chunk of the way to the Phil 3's level for less cost and in a smaller cabinet. That surely sounds like a winner. The problem as I see it is one of marketing. Philharmonic Audio not being a multi-national conglomerate doesn't exactly have the resources to pay for ads, positive reviews in all the audio rags, and floor space at your local retailer to hear the product. Sans such resources, it's a lot harder to successfully launch a new product. This is where I think a Phil 3 Lite could succeed, simply because it isn't really a new product. Visually and technically, the "Lite" would clearly be closely related to the "Original Edition", allowing it to piggy back on its older brother's popularity in a way that the "traditional" Slim never could.

 

[Adam]

Bored has me quite curious about the JDS Labs Objective2 headphone amp.

 

[fuzz092888]

Bored has me quite curious about the JDS Labs Objective2 headphone amp.

That's what he suggested to me awhile back, although I think I was looking at the O2+. Then I got the Presonus Audiobox for measurements and have just been using that ever since. After that, I ended up backing that kickstarter so that's where I am now, but when I was doing research I only read good things about the O2 and O2+.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Bored has me quite curious about the JDS Labs Objective2 headphone amp.

I would tell you the pros and cons of the amp but I don't understand anything about headphones and it's difficult to find help in that regard around here...

 

[fuzz092888]

I would tell you the pros and cons of the amp but I don't understand anything about headphones and it's difficult to find help in that regard around here...

I have about 6 pairs of headphones right now and a few that I've had in the past. Of the in ear headphones, the Polks are ok, but the fit leaves something to be desired since the rubber tips don't really work that well and the foam are a bear to fit properly. The sound is mediocre, neither great nor especially bad. Not really worth $100 IMO.

The Sennheiser CX 1.00 are probably the best in ears I have right now. The rubber tips actually work pretty well and do a good job at blocking out 70-80% of ambient noise. As odd as it might sound, you just have to remember to wet the tips (lol) a little before putting them in your ears. Sounds is good, bass is a little strong, but not by much.

The other in ears aren't worth mentioning, but I will say that the best pair of in ears I've ever had were a pair of Shure SE something or others. They had the triple drivers and were around $450ish. The sound was amazing, they almost totally blocked ambient noise and they were easy to transport and wear while working out because they never wobbled out. The only downside is that they were uncomfortable to wear for extended periods of time, 3+ hours. Perhaps they've improved since then.

Currently the pair of headphones I wear most to workout is a pair of Sennheiser HD380 Pro. They're comfortable, sound great and even though they're over the ear, aren't excessively large IMO. Well worth the money, especially since I got them on sale. Highly recommended.

My at home pair are open back Sennheiser HD650's. Extremely comfortable, natural, neutral sound, and with the right recordings I get a similar experience to the Phil 3's in terms of a spacious sound. I pretty much gave up computer speakers and transitioned solely to these headphones.

Only downside to all of them is that they're all wired. I tried a pair of wireless BT headphones awhile back and wasn't impressed with them. I'm sure, as BSA said, the tech has improved, but wireless isn't a huge need for me ATM so I haven't bothered to find out.

 

[Alex2507]

You remember the good ole days when you could title your posts. I would call this post: Too Lame for FB.

I got laundry to do and I should go to the gym but what I really wanna be doing is f^%&in wit dis wood.